Draft Recap

Wheewww… I don’t know about you guys, but this is a proud day for me and a disappointing day for me at the same time. I am very proud that MJ and Bob are willing to dish out some money to put fans in the stands and win now. Of course though, Jason Richardson will also have his downfall of 48 million guaranteed over the next 4 years, but I don’t think I will mind that when the jersey’s are flying off the shelf and Jason is flying high, catching passes from Ray and throwing it down. Jason could easily be the man we have been waiting for, the poor mans ‘savior’ if you want to go so far as to say that, he could easily be the guy that when paired up with Gerald Wallace could be part of a duo that runs the eastern conference for years to come. I hope for this to happen, and I certainly hope Jason can bring this team the leadership and winning that it has lacked in the past. MJ got another of ‘his guys’ so now we should definitely see some more W’s in the column if his plan is going right.

Now on to the darker side of this topic, the main reason I am disappointed… two words that have inevitably crushed my draft day spirit and basket ball pride, ‘Jared Dudley’… Are you serious? Jared Dudley, a ‘poor mans Shane Battier’, as he has been called by Chad Ford. A guy who we took over Josh McRoberts, Alando Tucker, Aaron Afflalo, Marcus Williams, Marc Gasol, and Morris Almond is a ‘poor mans Shane Battier’? Yea, maybe I am a little over the top in my reasoning but I think people can get my point. We basically took a guy who is the poor mans version of a player that I wouldn’t even take over a lot of the rookies I have just mentioned. This is one of those things where I hope I will look back some day and eat my words completely but I just don’t see it happening. Jared Dudley may be the hardest worker or the best man in the locker room you can have, but unfortunately he lacks the thing that makes most players worthy of that first round status, and that is raw talent, flat out god given things that can’t be learned or taught. Now here’s to Jared Dudley coming out and flat out killing and winning Rookie of the Year, but let’s be honest, Jemareo Davidson has more of a shot, at least he fills a need.

What would I have done differently?

Well I am happy enough with the Jason Richardson deal and I am content it will get us to the playoffs in the near future, that part of the Bobcats draft I will leave untouched, except for the pick of Jermareo, give me Josh McRoberts instead. He would be the perfect compliment to Okafor and our penetrating guards. He would give us more of an offensive presence in the post and would give us a passer that could really create for wings like Morrison, Carroll, and Herrmann. McRoberts would also add to the deadly threat of a fast break, he would give us a guy that could run with Jason Richardson, Gerald Wallace, and Raymond Felton. Like Duke or not (which I most definitely don’t) McRoberts would have been an excellent pick here and could have very well been a starter early on in his pro career, will Jemareo or Jared do this… not very likely.

Then with numero 22 I would have most definitely went in a different direction, obviously. If I am picking I would have chosen a shooting guard such as Morris Almond, a guy that is a proven bonafide scorer, and a guy that could’ve very well become a vital 6th man that could come in and given the team a spark right away. Can you tell me with confidence Jared Dudley will be able to do this, let alone just beat out Morrison to get in the game? Almond would’ve filled a need and Jared isn’t needed. I honestly don’t understand the pick and I have a feeling we will end up regretting the pick down the road. I just hope it doesn’t come back to burn us too bad.

Well Folks when it is all sad and done I am pleased with how this draft day turned out and I am definitely pleased to be EXPECTING playoffs this year, I think it isn’t just a slim shot, I think it is now an expectation. With draft day coming to an end I give MJ and Co. a B+, as they have put us in contention in as Stephen A. Dumbass calls ‘the J.V. League’ of the NBA.